I believe that through understanding the diverse makeup of our students I will be able to better educate my students by means of creating lessons which speak to their varying learning styles, their biological polarities, altitude of readiness, and their cultural backdrops. As Sheets states, "to be effective as a teacher, you must understand and acknowledge the critical role culture plays in the teaching-learning process". (2005) Instructional design. I believe that using knowledge of my students individuality and cultural diversity, as well as observing and taking note of their on-going social interactions within the classroom will help drive my instructional design to be inclusive and up-to-date with the students needs. Leo Vygotsky, a Russian psychologist said "through others we become ourselves". I believe that instructors who apply the Sociocultural Learning Theory in their instructional design can also become aware of how learners may directly impact one another, as well as how cultural "norms" can influence a learner's learning behavior". (Pappas, 2015) Values. I want to instill in my students a value for education and thus help create lifelong learners. "Lifelong learning is a public good, for the benefit and welfare of everyone in society, not just the preserve of a few" .(Aspin & Chapman, 2001) I believe that we have a duties to ourselves to expand our perspectives, as well as a duties to our society for progress and advancement. Evidence. I want to teach in such a manner that it is evident that I am meeting the needs of the students. As a practitioner of education I should always be seeking out feedback, and to accomplish this I must provide observable and measurable, both quantitative and qualitative evidence that I am meeting the needs of my students. My goal will be to use many sources to gather and document evidence. I will show evidence of teaching and learning through my planning procedures, rigorous and appropriate learning activities, teacher-student dialogue, collaborative learning opportunities, and assessments to name a few. Reflection. "Reflective practice is a problem-solving strategy by which individuals or groups can work to improve practice by reviewing routines and the procedures and other aspects of the instructional environment". (Burden & Byrd, 2016). In order to progress in any area one must reflect. I will employ a systematic approach to reflections so that I can make educated decisions within my classroom and my instruction. I will also expect that my students reflect in the same manner. Asking simple questions such as "What happened? Why did it happen? What could I have done differently? What might it mean for student learning?" (Burden & Byrd, 2016) will help guide my reflection and help me adjust to the needs of my students. Student-centered Learning. My goal is to teach the process of student-centered learning to my students and allow them to attempt and complete activities on their own. Although, we as a culture are heavily vested in teacher-centered strategies and there may be resistance placed around student-centered learning, the goal is for the students to ultimately think on their own, and adjust their strategies of learning appropriate to the task. Student-centered learning moves students from passive receivers of information to active participants in their own discovery process. Education is a journey and it is necessary to teach strategies to students on how to navigate through their personal journey. Guide them, not lead them. Employability skills. I believe that my duty as an educator is to provide as much opportunity and experience to my students which will furnish them with adequate employability skills for them to be marketable in any career they choose. "it is no longer sufficient for a new graduate to have knowledge of an academic subject; increasingly it is necessary for students to gain those skills which will enhance their prospects of employment. Employability skills include the following abilities: the retrieval and handling of information; communication and presentation; planning and problem solving; and social development and interaction". (Fallows & Steven, 2000) References Aspin, D. N., & Chapman, J. D. (2001). Lifelong Learning: Concepts, Theories, and Values. Philosophical Perspectives on Lifelong Learning Lifelong Learning Book Series,19-38. doi:10.1007/978-1-4020-6193-6_1 Burden, P. R., & Byrd, D. M. (2016). Methods for effective teaching: meeting the needs of all students. Boston: Pearson Fallows, S., & Steven, C., (2000) "Building employability skills into the higher education curriculum: a universitywide initiative", Education + Training, Vol. 42 Issue: 2, pp.75-83, https://doi.org/10.1108/00400910010331620 Pappas, C. (2015, January 14). Instructional Design Models and Theories: The Sociocultural Learning Theory. Retrieved July 07, 2017, from https://elearningindustry.com/sociocultural-learning-theory Sheets, R. H. (2005). What Is Diversity Pedagogy. Encyclopedia of Curriculum Studies. doi:10.4135/9781412958806.n165

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